


A Bird, a Question, and a Clown

by wonderlandiscrumbling



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ed visiting Oswald, Gen, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, mention of suicidal thoughts, season 4, slightly happy end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 03:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13778736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderlandiscrumbling/pseuds/wonderlandiscrumbling
Summary: Ed goes to Arkham seeking Oswald's help with taking down Sofia Falcone, unfortunately for him Arkham is being run under different management, and Oswald seems to not be in the best mental state to help him with his predicament.





	A Bird, a Question, and a Clown

It wasn’t exactly like Ed wanted to leave Lee alone in the Narrows, she had practically shoved him towards the basement window. He was certain she would be alright on her own, though with the assassination attempts and Ms. Falcone seemingly Hell bent on taking out anybody who dare breathe without her permission, he had his concerns. He’d had concerns about somebody trying to nab him or prevent him from leaving the less pleasant part of the city to go to where Arkham stood in a seemingly never changing part of the city, but nobody had approached him. He’d found himself a bit agitated as he approached the rusty cast-iron gates of the mental institute, he had assumed that he was a well known enough villain that somebody would recognize him. He thought back to Lee laughing at his stupidity, back to Oswald mocking him, and even his own disturbed stalker finding him less than what she’d hoped for.

Which brought him back to why he was currently standing outside of Arkham, Oswald. What the rumors around the Narrows said combined with what Gordon was willing to disclose between angry glares at Lee, they had found that Ms. Falcone framed Oswald for two homicides. Ed was less than shocked to find out that Gordon was willing to believe Oswald committed the murders and had him immediately apprehended and thrown in the asylum, Lee on the other hand had been more caught off guard. Ed had found himself covering his mouth with his hand to muffle his laughter when she had slapped Gordon, yelling at him for aligning himself with some crazed young woman, and then treating her as if her life choices were less than savory compared to his. Ed did have to agree that per usual it was quite hypocritical that Jim was judging Lee among the rest of them while constantly dirtying himself, working alongside a quite unstable mobster wannabe. Some things never changed. 

Though now knowing that Oswald had some sort of ties with Ms. Falcone lead them to believe that he perhaps could be of service, besides a part of Ed even at his most angry never felt anybody really deserved to be in Arkham. Even walking through the courtyard, he felt uneasy, he felt anxious as if once he entered the building he would not be able to exit. It was the type of place that one entered and never left or if you did leave, you left broken, and far from being yourself. He felt tense as he recalled his own growing depressions courtesy of Arkham, the nights of wondering how he could take his own life or wondering if they would shoot him for trying to jump the fence some night. He’d been so confused and beyond relieved when Oswald had blackmailed him out of the place. A fond nostalgic smile formed on his lips as he thought of that night, the days that had followed.

There were moments where he genuinely wondered how on Earthy they ended up here, wondered if they could get to a better less violent place of coexistence. He figured that coming to visit him in Arkham might possibly be a good start, so long as he set down the ground rules that he meant no ill will towards his former friend.

As Ed entered the building and walked through its massive halls he noticed something was very off. 

For one there were less guards, not too shocking considering the crap budget, but even by Arkham standards the count was low. Nobody forced him to sign in as a visitor at the front desk, instead the bored blond-haired girl who appeared to be close to his own age just ignored him as he passed her by. In the rec room he found a sort of controlled chaos. Inmates running around, a few chasing others with weapons they had made with items available to them. He noticed that some had a certain uniform look, brightly colored hair, more clown styled makeup, and their clothes as custom as they could possibly get them. The look felt familiar as if he’d seen it somewhere before. It took him awhile to find a member of the staff, this time it was an anxious older gentleman who seemed to be keeping his distance from the others in the room. He hadn’t acknowledged Ed or his request when he asked if he could see Oswald, but after he’d finished speaking the man had hurried out of the room, presumably to get Penguin.

Once the man left the room Ed escorted himself to a vacated table, he seated himself, and rehearsed in his mind how he should even try to approach conversing with Oswald. Last time they had spoken hadn’t been all too great and ever since then he hadn’t been near him, he had felt a pang of disappointment when he’d heard Oswald was angry about his performance in the Narrows but sent the Sirens after him instead of coming himself. He didn’t know if he’d just wanted to see how miffed he would be or if he’d just genuinely wanted to see his ex-friend again.

As he waited he began adjusting each part of his suit, he’d been sure to try and start appearing more presentable as of lately, and he was determined to look his absolute best when he was going to see Oswald again. He wanted him to see him and have nothing to mock him for, at least not in appearance. He’d learned from months of studying Penguin then learned from months of living with him that appearance came above all else, he always took pride in the way that he dressed, and when they had lived together in the mansion he’d been sure that Ed dressed just as well as he did, if not better on occasion. He pushed back the memories knowing it would do no good for him to linger on the past, lingering on past events just caused his heart to hurt. The past was a terrible place that was filled with now shattered dreams and moments of hopefulness he could never recapture.

Although his present seemed to in that same shattered state. He gave a glance around the room, eyes landing on a patient who sat in the corner ripping his hair out of his own head. 

“Ed?”

He jumped startled at the familiar voice, he fought to keep himself from smiling. Ed got up from his seat turning to greet the other man. His excitement dissipated as he took in Oswald’s appearance. 

His clothes were beyond dirtied, dried blood soaked through quite a few places on his tunic, his hands were bruised, and his knuckles busted. There was a long gash along his cheek just a couple of inches below his eye, his other eye bruised, scrapes on his chin, and bruises circling around his throat. His black hair looked greasy and matted, mostly sticking to his face. It was normal for one to look like utter Hell while being in Arkham, but even this looked alarming and excessive.

Ed started to say something, but Oswald took hold of his hands dragging him back over to the table. He seated himself again, his old friend sitting across from him. Ed watched him, watched as his green eyes darted nervously around the room as if he was waiting for an unwanted visitor, finally he looked back to Ed.

“I didn’t imagine you would come here, how did you find out I was in here?”

He shrugged, “Rumors were going through the Narrows that Penguin got sent to Arkham, I didn’t exactly believe them until Gordon came sniffing around Cherry’s old club. He told us about it, well some of it anyways….The reason you’re in here is actually why I came to visit you, we’re having a bit of a problem with Ms. Falcone.” 

He watched him carefully, waiting for his reaction, he wasn’t surprised to see his right eye twitch when Falcone’s name was mentioned. When the other man didn’t respond he felt he could continue.

“She came to the Narrows, apparently because Lee isn’t cooperating with her she just wants to take us all out. She has some asinine plan of turning everything into her territory, she’s already attempted to kill Lee twice in the past week, and now she’s in the Narrows hunting for her.”

“Wait so let me get this straight, Lee is back in the Narrows with Sofia trying to kill her, and you’re here?” Oswald asked, confused as he looked at the other man.

Ed faltered for a moment, fidgeting with his hands. “I’m only here, because we were hiding in the basement and she practically shoved me towards the basement window.”

Oswald rolled his eyes, “Seriously?”

“Hey, I didn’t want to come here, this is the last place that I wanted to be. I’m sure she’s fine, she’s a wonderfully strong and intelligent woman who can handle herself. Besides she surely found a way out of there, I doubt Falcone would just kill her like that. I came here, because I was hoping that you knew something that we could use against her.”

Oswald stared at him for a moment, Ed nervously fidgeted in his seat as the other man tapped his fingers against the metal table top. 

“Ed?”

“Yes?”

“Did Jim disclose to you about why I’m here?” Oswald asked slowly.

Ed noticed the change in demeanor as he looked away, shoulders sagging, and a saddened look taking over his features. The look was familiar, the sort of look he’d seen on him the day before he’d been sent to Arkham all that time ago.

“Yes,” He replied, tone gentle.

There was a long moment of silence between them, a moment that made Ed nervous. He could feel himself feeling bad for him, a growing guilt and sadness for a man he once cared so deeply for that it used to actually scare him. It still scared him.

“Do you believe that I killed that boy?” He finally asked looking back up at Ed.

He swallowed hard, he shook his head. “No, of course not. Neither of us believe that you killed him, that isn’t the type of person that you are Oswald.” He smiled softly, “I’ll admit that I’m a bit shocked to hear you were taking care of a kid, I never took you for the father type.” He teased, he felt grateful when Oswald gave a laugh at that.

“Crazy, right? What’s crazier is that for awhile there I was quite seriously considering adopting him. I know it’s stupid, I would have been a horrible father. God he, he nearly died twice because of me.”

He found himself surprised by how honest and raw the other man was being with him right now, but then again it had been a year since really seeing one another and he could tell that his old friend had suffered more than he felt he could really comprehend. He hated the part of himself that wanted to hug him and chastise him for blaming himself, he knew no matter what he’d always care for him, and he despised that about himself.

“There’s nothing crazy about that, I don’t think I’ll ever quite understand why you blame yourself for the things that happen to people.” 

“How can I not, I love people, and they end up dead….or I suppose in your case…” He trailed off looking away again.

A tension grew between them and Ed almost wished they could just talk about it, address the elephant in the room. The silence was only broken by a sudden burst of cackling laughter, he noticed Oswald jump at the sound, eyes shutting tightly as he grew tense. Ed started to ask him what was happening until he saw a figure rush behind the smaller man.

The man who now stood behind Oswald, his hands gripping his shoulders so tightly that Ed knew he was causing his friend pain, looked familiar. The man looked young, face covered in scars both new and old, his red hair standing out against his deathly pale skin, and a manic glee filled his green eyes. Ed watched as he leaned down pressing a kiss against Oswald’s cheek, laughing when Oswald flinched away from him.

“So, who’s the leprechaun?” He asked as he looked up at Ed.

Ed fought back the urge to insult him, “I’m Edward Nygma, who are you?” He asked, voice deadpan as he glared up at him.

The red-head smiled, the way his mouth stretched made a chill go down Ed’s spine. He recalled the Cheshire cat, he felt he jus found what the fictional cat would look like in human form.

“Oh I know you! You’re that Riddler guy, my pal here told me you were a bit off in the head after the whole ice incident.” He exclaimed, he rapped his knuckles against the side of Oswald’s head.

He watched as Oswald snarled smacking his hand away, the young man laughed.

“Who are you?” Ed asked, annoyance growing with each passing second.

“Hey chuckles get up, so I can talk to your friend.” The young man said as he grabbed Oswald by the back of his shirt yanking him up from his seat. Oswald nearly fell to the ground, just barely getting his footing as he stumbled back against the wall. On instinct Ed started to get up to go and help him but was stopped when the red-headed man grabbed his arm yanking him back down.

Ed watched as Oswald stood with his back to the wall, eyes downcast. He could see the rage brewing in his eyes, could see that raw desperate hatred, but he didn’t understand why he wasn’t just murdering this idiot.

“Sorry about that, still trying to house train the little guy. I’m Jerome Valeska by the way.” He greeted, smile still eerily and permanently in place.

He found himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he felt as if Jerome was seeing inside his brain, like he could read every little dark detail of him just by looking at him.

“Is there a specific reason that you’re interrupting the conversation I was having with my friend?” Ed inquired.

“I just figured I should meet you, I like knowing his friends….Actually come to think of it, you’re the only friend he has outside of me. He’s not exactly the type to make friends, just an angry thing, hell of a right hook though. I did hear you two weren’t friends, you shot him in the stomach, hell of a scar he has there. Hey Chuckles, would you consider this fine green gentleman to be your friend?” Jerome asked looking back towards Oswald.

Oswald remained standing still, glaring down at the floor. He jumped when Jerome pounded his fist against the table. He turned to look at him, eyes filled with fury.

“Yes, I would consider him my friend, more than I would consider you my friend.”

Jerome laughed at that, “Aw how touching. Know what’s a bit sad, crazy kid still has a thing for you.” He said leaning in closer to Ed.

Ed looked past him to look up at Oswald, the other man looked away from him. 

This was not the way he had wanted to discuss things, this wasn’t what he’d expected when he’d come to Arkham. He was beginning to get a general idea of what was going on though, he wondered how this lunatic had managed to get a run over the asylum. He weighed his options as he considered reaching into his pocket, retrieving his switch blade, and slicing Jerome’s throat open. He looked around the room, noticing the men and women with bizarre makeup who were staring at the three of them, and realized they’d both be dead before Jerome’s body would even hit the floor. Despite how much he hated it, Ed decided the best course of action was to continue sitting and conversing with the crazed clown. As they talked he learned nothing of value, nothing of personal value. He did learn that the bruises and cuts all over Oswald were courtesy of Jerome, each demeaning thing Jerome revealed he found himself wanting to kill him more and more. He hated the way the ginger treated his former friend, hated seeing Oswald just standing there as if something was preventing him from retaliating the way that he normally would in these situations.

It felt like forever until Jerome finally excused himself, his attention seemingly drawn to something else out of the rec room. The moment that he was out of sight Ed got out of his seat and went around to where Oswald stood. He placed his hands on his friend’s shoulders, fingers brushing against the worn material of his tunic.

“What the Hell was that?” Ed asked, his voice calm despite the fact he certainly felt like yelling in confusion.

“What?” Oswald asked lamely as he looked up at him.

“That, that entire thing. You just let that idiot walk all over you, I’ve seen you slaughter people for far less. What did he do to you?”

Oswald stared up at him for a moment, all rage gone from his eyes and just replaced by some conflicted sadness. 

“He…He knows things about me, Ed. Not just that, he, he already knew about you and where you were. I…I can’t tell you here.” He whispered, he looked past him towards the others who continued to watch them.

Ed stepped away from him, Oswald took hold of his hand and dragged him out of the rec room. He followed him into an office two doors down the hallway, the room vacant and almost haunted feeling. Oswald closed and locked the door behind them, he turned on a small desk lamp before turning his attention back to Ed.

“He knows where Martin is, he says he knows, and I think he’s telling the truth….I-I don’t know.”

“You can’t be serious, he’s crazy, Oswald he doesn’t know any-“

“He described him to me, he shouldn’t know what he looks like, but he does. I…I’m losing my mind being here, I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’m sorry.”

Ed furrowed his brow at the apology.

“Sorry?”

He racked his brain trying to recall if ever in his life he’d heard Oswald apologize before, but he couldn’t remember an instance. He didn’t understand why now he was apologizing.

“Yes, I’m sorry about what happened. I shouldn’t have had Isabella killed, I should have just respected that you didn’t love me back and supported you as a friend should. I should have just been strong enough to let you go and be happy to see you happy, I’ve spent so much time convincing myself that I was in the right and that you were just using me all that time….I know that I screwed up and I lost you because of that, I know it’s too late now, but I just needed to apologize to you now.”

Ed stood staring at him, he swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. He turned his head away feeling paranoid that even in the dimly lit room he could see the tears filling his eyes. He didn’t know how to respond, he knew he should laugh at him or just start screaming at him. Another part of him wanted to start laughing, laugh at how ridiculous all of this was, at the Hell they both had endured just because of one mistake. 

“Ed?”

He stepped closer to him, he wrapped his arms around Oswald holding him close. He could feel him tense, caught off guard by the sudden embrace. A second later he was hugging him back, face buried against his chest. Ed closed his eyes sighing, he felt a strange relief holding him in his arms. He didn’t know what this meant, he didn’t know what anything meant. 

“I’m going to get you out of here, I refuse to leave you here for another second with that lunatic.” Ed stated factually, arms still protectively wrapped around his friend’s waist.

That was the only thing he did know for sure, that he refused to let him stay another moment in this dump.


End file.
